Aurelius steward



uomoaem A. STEWARD. Plait Folder for Sewing Machines.

No. 233 380. Patented Oct. 19,1880.

NJEYERS. PNOmLITHMRAPNEn. wAsmNGTOn, D c.

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE,

AUBELIUS STEWARD, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE WHEELER81; WILSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PLAlT-FOLDER FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 233,380, dated October19, 1880. Application filed June 5, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, A. STEWARD, a citizen of the United States, residingat Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Plait-Folders forSewing- Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to automatically fold the fabric into aplait or tuck as the fold is being stitched down, and to govern thewidth of said folds and control their distances apart with greaterconvenience and regularity than has heretofore been accomplished.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows the tuck-folder inperspective, together with part of the table, bed-plate, needle-bar, andpresser-bar of a sewing-machine. Fig. 2 shows, partly in section, an endand enlarged view of the parts which form the folds; and Fig. 3 shows,also partly in section, the same parts with cloth inserted as in the actof being folded and stitched.

In this form of plaiting or tucking the material is so folded that threeplies are overlapped, as seen at A, Fig. 3, which represents an edgeview of the material, the line of stitching being near one edge of theoverlapping portions. To form thesegjfolds the material is passedbetween two metal plates, which I term foldguides, the overlapping edgesof which serve to keep the folds in proper position, the upperfold-guide being attached adjustably to the bed-plate, and the lowerfold-guide connected, directly or indirectly, withfthe arm ofthegsewing-machine.

In the case represented in the accompanying drawings the lowerfold-guide is constructed of thin flexible metal, shaped as shown at B,Fig. 1, and secured firmly by soldering or otherwise to the presser-footC, that portion which is attached to the foot being bent in concave formto render it rigid in the required direction, the edge which enters thefold in the cloth being made somewhat thicker by folding over the metalor otherwise to form a smooth edge over which the cloth will passfreely, the front end being rounded off, that it may not turn the foldtoo abruptly, and the whole so set as to height that when thepresser-foot is down all that portion which stands in front of the samemay press lightly upon the material which is being sewed.

The upper fold-guide, D, is constructed as seen in Fig. 1, and connectedby means of a hinge to the sliding plate E, the sliding plate being heldto the bed-plate of the sewing-machine by means of the thumb-screw F. Inthis view the fold-guide D is shown as when opened for the introductionof the material, as hereinafter described.

Below the sliding plate E is placed a baseplate, G, upon a portion ofwhich, within a slot in the sliding plate E, is stamped an index, andupon the front end of the same is formed an auxiliary guide, (shown atH.) The base-plate G is also held in position by the thumb-screw F,which passes through acloselyfitting hole in the base-plate to keep italways in one position.

To the presser-foot C, by means of the adjusting-screw K, I attach thespace-guide L, it being composed of thin metal, with the portion throughwhich the screw passes bent in concave form, and its edges turned atright angles to give it the necessary rigidity, while the extendingportion remains flexible and yielding to accommodate itself readily toinequalities in the cloth.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The presser-foot beingraised, the fabric is placed beneath the lower fold-guide, B, and thespace-guide L, and the front edge carried forward to the presser-foot.The upper foldguide, D, is then folded over the lower one, carrying withit a fold of the fabric,the presserfootlet down upon thefold, andthefold stitched down in the usual manner.

The sliding plate E, which is slotted for that purpose, may, byloosening the thumb-screw F, be moved to the right or left, causing theupper to overlap the lower fold-guide to a greater or less extent,thereby governing the width of the tucks.

When in use the fold-guide D rests upon the auxiliary guide H, andthough the former may be adjusted for the purpose stated, the latteralways remains in close proximity to and serves to form the lower foldaround the edge of the guide B. The edge of the fabric or the precedingtuck is in each case passed over the protruding lip and guided by theedge of the space-guide L, and by setting the latter by means of itsadjusting-screw K any desired space between the tucks may be obtained.

As the index is stamped upon the base-plate, which remains stationary,the sliding plate,carrying the upper fold-guide, D, and the spaceguide Lmay each be regulated by the index to give the Width and space desired.

It will readily be seen that the hinging ot' the upper fold-guide, D,greatly facilitates the introduction of the material, and that byconnecting the lower fold-guide with the arm the device does notobstruct the passage of the work, the number of folds which may be madeI AURELIUS STEWARD.

Witnesses:

ISAAC HOLDEN, (H50. 11. DIMoND.

